Tomorrow is for YOU

In January I was asked to be one of the chairs for our local walk for Autism Speaks. I had been on the committee the past couple of years, but honestly had never thought about stepping up to be a chair. I said yes without much hesitation and to be honest without much thinking of what this role was all about. All I knew when I said yes is that I had a passion for the organization, I had a love and desire for my son to be accepted completely by others and that I wanted to make a difference for all families of children on the spectrum. So, I said yes and then started a journey I could have never expected.

This journey has had many bumps along the way. I have seen sides of people that I never imagined I would see. Charity brings out peoples not so pretty colors sometimes. Which until this past year I didn’t realize it could do. To me charity should only bring out the positive in people. But, along the way I learned not everyone has the same vision as I do. I also learned that people have an amazingly generous and caring side...that though all we see usually on the news is the bad, there are still SO many AMAZING people in our world.

I have cried more tears than I would like to admit…tears of fear of failure, tears of hurt, tears of confusion and tears of total awe and amazement. When I signed on I never imagined this rollercoaster ride I was getting on. At times I questioned why I continued and the answer was always the same….I am doing all of this because I BELIEVE in this amazing organization. I am doing this because I LOVE my son more than words will ever express and I will do ANYTHING to make his life brighter, his journey easier and help people to understand him and love him just as I do. I have a PASSION to make a difference in others lives because I believe we all deserve to have help on this Autism journey.

So now we are less than a few hours away from the big day and I sit here with tears rolling down my face because I am in complete and total awe. I am in awe of the generosity of so many in our community. I cried today so many overwhelmingly grateful tears by all of these amazingly generous, caring people.  I am overwhelmed by the friendships I have made. True and amazing friendships that will last a lifetime. I will stand tomorrow with friends that a year ago I would have never imagined being so blessed to have in my life. I am in complete amazement of how much love and support my husband has given me through out this entire process. I am in disbelief that though the road wasn’t easy…we are here and I made it!

Thank you to everyone who stood beside me, who helped me, who never left my side….tomorrow couldn’t be happening without all of you!